Microsoft has been in early discussions with the News Corporation, the media conglomerate controlled by Rupert Murdoch, about a pact to pay the News Corporation to remove links to its news content from Google’s search engine and display them exclusively on Bing, from Microsoft, according to a person briefed on the matter who spoke anonymously because of the confidential negotiations.
If such an arrangement came to pass, it would be a watershed moment in the history of the Internet, and set off a fierce debate over the future of content online.
The Web’s explosive growth has been driven, in part, by the open playing field it represents for consumers and businesses. These discussions could encourage major technology and media companies to start picking sides — essentially applying the cable TV model to the Web.
A deal on a large scale would create a new set of barriers for users to navigate and would represent an enormous risk for the News Corporation or any news site. More than 65 percent of all search inquiries in the United States are made on Google, and removing links from there would lead to a big drop in traffic. Bing handles 9.9 percent of domestic searches, according to comScore.
Steven A. Ballmer, the chief executive of Microsoft, said in a recent interview that Google handled about six times as many search queries as Microsoft, and that Google’s search ads generated more revenue per click. But Microsoft executives have been clear about their intentions to pursue bold measures to disrupt Google’s dominant position in the search market.
A broad deal with media companies would be Microsoft’s most drastic measure to date — one in which it would be running a high-stakes experiment against Google, which also has deep pockets.
The development, first reported by The Financial Times, comes as many content providers, including newspapers and other news media companies, are re-evaluating their Web strategy. The expected riches from online advertising have not materialized, and many outlets are considering charging for access to their online content, as some sites, including The Wall Street Journal, owned by the News Corporation, already do.
Filed under: Bing, Business, Google, Microsoft | Tagged: Bing, Business, content, Google, Microsoft, search engine | Leave a Comment »
In one of the toughest ruling yet against texting while driving, the young driver, who was texting friends about her encounter with a celebrity was remanded for 21 months to a high-security women’s prison. Read more:
President Obama, who has championed cybersecurity since taking office, 
On Wednesday, iRex Technologiers, plans to announce a $399 touch-screen e-reader. With your new iRex you will be able to purchase digital books and newpapers wirelessly over the 3G network of Verizon, joining the ranks of AT&T and Sprint, two companies who already support e-books. Then, just in time for early Christmas shopping, the iRex is expected to be sold at a few hundred Best Buys stores, along with a Sony Reader.
Health Officials are hoping we will get feed updates from sites like the Center for Disease Control’s website 
Many people are still trying to understand just what the heck Social Media is or how to use it for their own brand recognition. However, predictions are that “within 12 months, a full 82 percent of businesses will be using social media to promote their brand and the goods and services they offer consumers”, states Patricia Abbate of the 
